Bottle cap



In caps of the type to which my invention top thereof, and with caps of the type to which I composition cork cushion disk, but which is so Patented Dec. 18, 1934 si PATENT OFFICE n Bo'r'rLE CAP Charles E. McManus, New York, N. Y., assignor to Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc., New Y York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 3l, 1930, Serial No. 458,167

7 Claims. (CL 21S-40) of the top of the shell not covered by the packing ring.

This construction results in a product which, exteriorly of the cap, is identical with the ordinary crown closure, so that it may be applied 5 by means of the ordinary capping machine in exactly the same manner as the ordinary crown cap, and may be'produced with the usual decorations without any modification or distortion thereof. Interiorly of the cap, however, the construction is such as to not only secure the effect secured by a sealing ring, but also the effect secured by what is known as a center spot cap.

The invention consists primarily in a bottle cap embodying therein a metal shell having a smooth top, and a skirt whereby it may be attached to a bottle, a metallic insert conforming to the interior of said top and forming a channel adjacent said skirt, the bottom of the insert, forming said channel, engaging the inner face of the top of said shell and said channel, opening away from the top of said shell, and a sealing ring within said channel; and in such other novel characteristics as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a bottom view of a bottle cap embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross section thereof; and

Fig.` 3 is an exploded view showing the three elements of the cap.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, I employ a metal cap having an .outwardly dished top a and the usual skirt b which is cylindrical adjacent the top and fluted and outwardly flared about the lower edge thereof. Within this cap is seated a metal insert having a central recessed portion c and an edge recessed or channel portion d, these recessed portions being produced by a formed up annular ridge e and by a rim f extending about the edge of the insert and the cylindrical portion of the skirt. The bottom of the central recessed portion c is curved to conform to the top a of the cap, and the annular recess d is of less depth than the central recess c, so that the bot- -tom of the channel portion d of the insert engages the inner face of the top of the cap adjacent the skirt. The rim f is lower than the ridge e, and if desired, may be; entirely dispensed with, and the cylindrical portion only of the skirt b relied upon to form, withthe ridge e of UNITED `STATE My invention relates to bottle caps, and more particularly to bottle caps of the type employing an annular sealing gasket adjacent the skirt of the cap.

relates, it has heretofore been the practice to provide a metal shell having the top thereof centrally depressed so as to form a channel for the reception of a sealing gasket,.or the material forming the gasket, closely adjacent the `skirt of the shell.

In the production of such shells, it is the usual practice to coat metal sheets from which they are formed, upon that face thereof presented inwardly of the shells, with a lacquer, and it is a commonpractice to provide a lithographed decoration upon the outer face of the top of the shell, and sometimes upon the exterior of the skirt.

In caps of the type to which my invention re lates, all practices heretofore followed have resulted in the exposure of a lacquered portion of the metal shell to. contact with the bottle or other container contents.

It isA sometimes desirable, in order to preserve the effect of the decoiations upon the cap, to avoid the formation of the channel in the my invention relates, this has heretofore been impossible.

With the above conditions in mind, I have provided a bottle cap which, exteriorly, is ideny tical with the ordinary cap having a cork or constructed as to admit of the use of a ring 35 gasket positioned adjacent the skirt of the shell only. The construction of the cap is not only such as to permit the use of a ring gasket as above described` but 'also s'uchl as to provide, within the shell, centrally thereof, a ymetallic facing of tin, aluminum, zinc or other lmaterial which will prevent the contents of the container from contacting with the lacquered surface of the metal shell and avoid deterioration of the metal shell and of contents of a bottle or other container as a result of such contact.

In a cap embodyingv the invention, I provide a channel within the'metal shell for the recep-` tion of a sealing ring, formed by a metallic insert having a close t with the skirt of the shell and held in place by the material of the sealing ring. 'I'his insert is made of a metal which will not be attacked by the contents of the bottle or container, and protects the entire inner area the insert, the annular channel d. The rim f,

however, stiiens the edge of the insert and affords a larger friction area for retaining the insert in position independently of a ring gasket seated in the annular channel.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, I have shown at g an annular or ring sealing gasket which may be made of unvulcanized, plastic rubber composition, or a semi-vulcanized or vulcanized rubber, as desired. This ring is of a width to substantially fill the annular recess d and to extend over the top of the rim finto contact with the skirt b of the metal shell, thus, by its adhesion to the skirt, supplementing the frictional engagement of the insert with the inner wall of the skirt in retaining the insert in position. It is important that the insert be firmly secured to the shell to preclude possibility of the separation of the gasket from the shell as a result bf agitation in the hopper of the cap-Y ping machine.

'I'he insert may be made of thin sheet metal, or heavy metal foils, as desired. This insert has the two-fold function of forming the annular channel for the reception and confinement of the sealing ring, and of preventing contact of vthe metal of the shell and the contents of the of the inner face of the top of the cap positioned within the sealing ring or annulus, and that it forms at least a part of the channel for the reception of said ring or annulus.

During the production of the cap, the procedute in forming and decorating the shell is the same as with the ordinary crown bottle cap, and exteriorly, a cap of the invention cannot be distinguished from the ordinary. cap. In the capping machine the pressure used in applying the cap to a bottle or other container is exactly the same as with the ordinary cap, so far as the action of the metal shell is concerned. The compaction of the material of the ring g is limited to a narrow band about the neck-of the bottle, and the skirt of the shell and the rim f of the insert, when used, and the ridge c will resist the expansion of the material of the ring radially of the cap sufficiently to ensure a proper sealing action.

A fairly soft foil may be used, if desired, so long as it possesses sufficient rigidity to permit it to be given the form of insert required. It is merely required that the insert shall retain its form until the complete assembly of the cap, and any deformation thereof in the hopper of the capping machine, or during application of a cap to a bottle or other container, will not impair the efficiency of the cap in any way.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the details of construction shown in the accompanying drawing, it being apparent that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is:

1. A bottle cap, embodying therein a metal shell having a smooth top, and a skirt whereby it may be attached to a bottle, a metallic insert having therein a formed up ridge providing a recessed central portion and a channel adjacent said skirt, and a rim about the edge thereof engageable with the skirt of said shell, and a sealing ring I'within said channel having its outer edge in frictional contact with the inner surface of said skirt to hold the parts in assembled relation.

2. A bottle cap embodying therein a metal shell havinga smooth top, and a skirt whereby it may be attached to a bottle, a metallic insert having therein a formed up ridge providing a recessed central portion and a channel adjacent said skirt, and a rim about the edge thereof engageable with the skirt of said shell, and a sealing ring within said channel, said rim being lower than said ridge, and said ring extending over the top of said rim and contacting with said skirt entirely around the inner periphery thereof and covering the top edge of said rim.

3. A bottle cap embodying therein a metal shell having a smooth top, and a skirt having a cylindrical portion adjacent said top and a uted, outwardly ared edge whereby it may be attached to a bottle, a metallic insert having therein a formed up ridge providing a recessed central portion and a channel adjacent said skirt, and a rim about the edge thereof engageable with the cylindrical portion of the skirt of said shell, and a sealing ring containing rubber within said channel, said ring having its edge overlying the edge of the rim and frictionally engaging the inner surface of the skirt, to conceal the rim edge and secure the parts in assembled position.

' 4. A receptacle closure comprising a cap having a top and a marginal skirt, and a liner for said cap, said liner comprising a circular me.

tallic insert provided with an annular raised rib spaced inwardly from the edge and forming a marginal groove and an annular gasket disposed in said groove and overlying the edge of the insert, said gasket being in frictional contact with the inner surface of said cap skirt and serving as means to prevent accidental displacement of said insert from the cap prior to the application of the closure to a receptacle.

5. A receptacle closure comprising a cap having a top and a marginal skirt, and a liner for said cap, said liner comprising a circular metallic insert provided with an annular raised rib spaced inwardly from the edge and forming a marginal groove, and a central circular depressed portion in contact with the cap top, and an annular gasket disposed in said groove and overlying the edge of the insert, said gasket being in frictional contact with the inner surface of said cap skirt and serving as means to prevent accidental displacement of said insert from the cap prior to the application of the closure to a receptacle.

6. A receptacle closure comprising a cap having a top and a marginal skirt, and a liner therefor, said liner comprising a thin metal insert and an annular gasket, said insert having a peripheral iiange'in frictional contact with the inner surface of the cap skirt to hold the parts in assembled relation, said insert having an annular rib spaced inwardly from said flange and defining an annular groove between the flange and rib, and a central circular depressed portion/in contact with the cap top, said gasket -being disposed in said groove and having a porwardly into an annular rib having inclined side walls forming respectively a central circular depressed portion in contact with the cap top and an annular channel between the rib and ilange, the radial inner inclined wall serving as a brace for the outer wall, said gasket being disposed in said channel and having a portion thereof extending outwardly over the edge of the flange into contact with the inner surface ot the cap skirt to conceal the ilange end and frictionally 10 hold the parts in assembled relation.

CHARLES E. McMIANUS. 

